Cover Story OTHER STORIES RELATED TO COVER Shootout At The House First Person: Prabhu Chawla Parliament security: Price Of Openness

The terrorists had broken into Parliament with a clear game plan: to get into the main building and create mayhem and perhaps even take a hostage or two. In short, attract maximum publicity. They headed for the prime minister's gate first, which is why they first drove straight past the main entrance.

BLOW BY BLOW: (from above) the gory aftermath; a securityman is treated for wounds; the remains of the suicide bomber; a grenade in one of the militant's bag

When investigators discovered 30 kg of explosives in the Ambassador, it became clear that the suicide squad wanted to drive up to any entrance and ram the vehicle into it. At the same time, the fifth terrorist would have used the diversion to run into the main entrance again. The plan went awry for several reasons: firstly, they could not gain entry into the main building as all doors had been sealed. Secondly, the construction of the wall between gates 10 and 11 was an obstacle that the terrorists had no previous knowledge of. Finally, and most significantly, the collision with the vice-president's car loosened the wires connecting the explosives in the terrorists' car and the RDX couldn't be detonated at any stage of their operation.

Intelligence officials discovered that the car had been bought two days before the incident from its previous owners, Lucky Motors, in Delhi's crowded Karol Bagh locality. The car, a January 1997 model, had been sold for Rs 1.10 lakh, and that was the sixth time the car was changing hands. The contents of the militants' bags revealed their back-up plans: stocks of dry fruits hinted that had they been able to penetrate the main Parliament building, they could have held out in a siege or hostage situation.

Intelligence agencies confirmed that the attack-a trademark fidayeen strike-had its roots across the Wagah border. Less than 24 hours after the attack, two Pakistani nationals, suspected LeT operatives, were picked up from Hotel Ambassador in Delhi. The two men were in touch with the militants over their cell phones. It was their interrogation that led to the Indian Government declaring that the LeT was behind the attack.

SUNNY SINGH, An MP's driver EYE WITNESS "He put his hands on his waist and his body blew into pieces. I never saw so much blood except in Hindi films."

DALBIR SINGH, Security officer EYE WITNESS "I heard bullets zooming past my right ear and my leg. I just got into the car and a bullet hit its boot."

Though the plans did not work out, the impact of the suicide mission was tremendous and has immediately upped the Government's ante on the question of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. A delegation of BJP MPs met the prime minister a day after the attack demanding an intensification of "hot pursuit". Union Home Minister L.K. Advani spelt out the resolution of the Cabinet Committee on Security Affairs in no uncertain terms, "We'll liquidate the terrorists and their sponsors, wherever they are, whoever they are."

Strangely enough, a day before the attack, Hurriyat Alliance Chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat uttered some very mysterious words at a press conference in Srinagar. The Hurriyat will now have to explain them. Bhat opened the conference with enigmatic remarks, "December 13 will be an important event not only in Kashmir but in the US too. How? Wait for 12 hours and you will know ... I trust the events will not disappoint either me or you."

R. K. ANAND, Rajya Sabha member EYE WITNESS "The Government should destroy Lashkar wherever it is, even it means attacking Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir."

Disappointment seems a very cruel word and not only to the members of the families who lost loved ones in the attack. In Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where the dead and injured were being brought in on the day of the attack, Kamlesh Kumari's husband Avdesh sat surrounded by shocked CRPF officers. "I am ruined," he cried, "I am ruined." The hospital suspended routine surgeries to tend to the wounded and within four hours every one injured-whether from bullet wounds or grenade shrapnel-was attended to. The brother-in-law of another victim, Delhi Police ASI Nanak Singh, summed up the feelings, "I cannot believe the audacity of these people."

STATUE SHIELD: Camera crews took shelter behind Mahatma Gandhi's statue (above); a day later Vajpayee thanks security personnel who braved bullets to save others

Within hours of the attack, another brand of audacity was shocking even the most cynical politician. Opposition parties, obsessed with the outcome of elections in three states next year-Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Punjab-decided it was time to begin counting their votes. Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy used the occasion to reiterate his party's stand on the controversial POTO bill. "POTO has been in operation for the past seven weeks and we see it has not been able to prevent this attack on Parliament. So of what use is the law of counter terrorism?" Reddy said, blaming the incident on the "administrative incompetence of the Government". But a few Congress MPs thought their party had overdone the dissent. "This is an hour of grief. Some alien forces have attacked us and here we are quibbling with the Government," said one. The prime minister, abandoned restraint for rhetoric: "The war against terrorism had entered its last phase. It would be a fight to the finish."

The day after the attack, the white Ambassadors with their flashing red lights returned to Parliament, so did the MPs and ministers and their posse of securitymen. They paid tribute to the security personnel who had taken bullets meant for them, their ultimate duty. Their families would be compensated and their presence of mind recognised and rewarded. Shattered glass would be replaced, blood stains wiped clean. The statue of Gandhi would preside sagely over the comings and goings of politics. But the import of what happened at that spot on December 13 will never fade. It has become India's own Ground Zero.

-with Sharad Gupta, Lakshmi Iyer and Anshul Avijit